Photographic apparatus



Aug. 1s, 1936. o. v KEAN 2,051,608

PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed March 50, 1954 INVEN TOR Patented Aug. 18,1.936

PATENT OFFICE PHOTO GRAPHIC APPARATUS Otho V. Kean, Bronxville, N. Y.,assignor to Frederic P. Wareld, New York, \N. Y.

Application March 30, v1934:, Serial No. l118,157 16 Claims. (Cl. 88-74)This invention relates to photographic apparatus and more specificallyto pose-reflecting apparatus.

In general, .it is an object of the invention to 5 provide photographicapparatus which is simple.

and economical of construction, which 'can be expeditiously andconveniently manipulated, and which can be readily manufactured andassembled.

10 Another object of the invention is to provide a pose-reflectingphotographic apparatus wherein the image'seen by` the poser is the sameand as complete as that shown in the photograph, i. e., the left side ofthe reflected image is identical 15 with the left side of thephotograph; wherein the illumination is the same or approximately theSame as for the usual apparatus; and wherein the actual photographicapparatus, comprising, for example, the lens system, is shut off fromthe 20 poser as far as he 'can observe.

Another object is to provide a partially-reflecting pose mirror havingrelatively large transparent areas which is so disposed that the effectupon the photographically-sensitized element of any 25 one of said areasis relatively small.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,combinations of elements,

y 30 and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplied in theconstruction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application ofwhich will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and 35 objects of theinvention, reference should be had to the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in

which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of one form of apparatus 40 embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a greatly-enlarged view of a small portion of the mirror shownin Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modication of the device shown in Fig. 1; and45 Fig. 4 is a plan View of the device shown in Fig. 1

with parts rearranged.

In the exempliiication shown in the drawing, I denotes diagrammaticallymeans for taking a picture or photograph. 'Ihis maybe a conven- 50tional camera, which term is meant to include means for registering orrecording images. The subject to be photographed may be placed at thepoint Il. Between the point II and the camera and in the path of thelight rays from the sub- 55 ject to the camera is placed a means forreecting part of the light from the subject back to the subject. This isshown as the mirror means I2.' This mirror is partially transparent andcomprises two sctions which together form a right angle bisected by theline I I-I 0. Asshown, each 5 section faces the line`II-I0, that is, anormal from the reflecting face crosses the line II--IIL The sectionsmay be plane.

Each section is similar to the mirror described in my copendingapplication Serial Number 693,746.

Preferably the mirror is formed from a partially-transparent mirror ofthe well-known type where the reectingcoating is so thin that it willpass forty or fifty per cent. of the light, as for instance from asputtered mirror. Portions of the partially-reflecting coating areremoved either mechanically or chemically at suitable points or lines,so as to provide a mirror 'which will pass a considerably largerpercentage of the light, as for instance, seventy-,five or eighty percent. De sirably the mirror should reflect-not more than thirty percent. of the light for effective'work under Jordinary conditions. Theremoval of the coating may be accomplished by scraping the coating witha needle point or other tool, by theuse of a fine tool to scratchthrough the shellac, which protects the silver without scratching thesilver, and then dipping the mirror in a solution which removes thesilver at those points or along those lines where the shell'ac has beenremoved and then immersing the mirror in a solution which stops theremoving action; or by other suitable means.v In s'uch a manner theremay be produced a mirror such as shown at I2, whichgives a fine clearreflection, but which stops only a. very small percentage of the light.As illustrated in Fig. 2, the mirror I2 may comprise perpendicular setsof parallel lines I3 and Il from which the coating has been removed andwhich 40 provide complete transmitting portions and intermediateportions I5 carrying a. partially-reecting and partially-transmitting,very thin coating. In practice, the lines I3 and I4 may be madesufficiently fine and suiciently close together so that they are notobvious to the poser at point II.

` Because of the fact that the sections of the mirror are at an anglewith the line II--Ill .the effective area of each transparent portion ofthe mirror is reduced as far as the transmitting of light is concerned.It is therefore possible to use a mirror having larger transparent areasthan if the mirror were perpendicular to the path of the light, withoutthe design of transparent parts appearing in the picture. Accordinglythe mirror used need not be as nely prepared, with attendant lesseningin cost.

When the sections of the mirror are at right angles, the image of theposer is reected from one section to the other and then back to theposer`in rectified condition. The right-hand side of the poser appearsas shown on the right-hand side of the image in the same way that itdoes in the finalv photograph. If a poser has some identifying featureon the right side. he can see exactly how it will look in thephotograph. This is of considerable convenience both to the poser and tothe operator, as the former is much vless apt to .reject photographswhen an exact copy, side for side, of the iinal photograph has been seenprior to exposure. The sections of the mirror may be easily joinedtogether so exactly that they appear to the poser to be one planemirror.

If desired, a reducing lens or. flat plate glass strong light should notpass directly through the lens system from a source ot light onto thesensitized film.

Pictures may be taken with the above-described apparatus withsubstantially the ysame illumination as would be used it the mirrormeans were not present. 4

It may be dicult to arrange a mirror at one side, intermediate the poserand the mirror I2, so that the poser presenting a profile or semiproiileto the camera may see in the sl'de mirror his profile reflected frommirror I2, as either section of mirror I2 is apt to be in the path fromthe other section to the side mirror. This can be accomplished, however,by extending one of the sections farther away than the other from theapex of theV dihedral angleformed by the sections as at I2a and byplacing a mirror I6 in front of the mirror -I2 and on the opposite sideof the poser-camera line. Such an arrangement is shown in Fig'. 3,wherein', for purposes of clarity and in order to show the anglesclearly,..the relative size and location of the camera, mirror and theobject are conventionalized rather than shown in exact proportions. Theportion Iza may be removable or be pivoted to swing back out of the wayand/or there may be a. similar extended portion on ythe other section ofthe mirror I2.` If it is desired, the mirror I2 may be rotatable aboutan axis such as an axis -ITI parallel to the apex of and in a planebi-secting the dihedral angle; Mirrors may be placed at various'positions in front/of the mirror I2 and on either side, for example,mirrors I8 and lshownin Fig. 4. With mirror I2 in the position shown ini'ull lines, the image is reected to mirror I9 from one section ofmirror I2. With the mirror in the position shown in dotted line, theimage is reiected from the other section 'of I2 to mirror I8 and thenceto the poser. In all cases the picture is taken through some part ofmirror I2. The image seen by the poser in all cases, whether proiileor-ful1 face, corresponds with thattound in ythe nal picture, the leftside with thevleft side and the right side with the right side.

Since certain changes may bemade in the above construction and diierentembodiments of the invention could be made without departing aosneoedescribed, and al1 statements of the scope of the invention which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

l. In adevice of the character described, the combination comprisingmeans adapted for taking a picture andv partially-reilecting mirrormeans permanently positioned in the path of the light which is to giverise to the picture, said mirror means being adapted to reilect light ina rectied condition and having certain transpar' ent portions no one ofwhich is large enough to transmit more than a fraction of the lightnecessary to take a picture. p 2. In a device of the characterdescribed, the combination comprising means-adapted for'taking a'picture and partially-reecting mirror means permanently positionedinthe pathof the light which "is togive rise to the picture, said mirrormeans being adapted to reflect light in a rectiiied condition and havingcertain transparent portions, no one of which is large enough to adaptedfor reecting more light than said transparent portions reect.

3. In a device of the character described, the

combination comprising means adapted for taking a picture andpartially-reflecting mirror means permanently positioned in the path ofthe light which is to give rise tothe picture, said mirror means beingadapted to reflect light in a rectiiled condition and having a pluralityof portions whichare more transparent than other portions, the totalarea and arrangement of said plurality being such that they are notobvious to av poser placed in a position to have .a picture taken.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination comprisingmeans adapted for taking a picture and partially-reflecting mirror meanspermanently positioned in the path of the light which is to give rise tothe picture, said mirror means being adapted to reiect lightaway fromsaid picture taking means and in a rectiiied condition and said mirrormeans being transparent at a plurality of points and being partially 6.In a, device or the character described, the

combination comprising means adapted for taking a picture, and aplurality. of partially-reecting mirror means correlated'to reflectlight in a rectified condition, positioned at various angles in the pathof the light which is to give rise to the'picture and having certaintransparg ent portions, the eiective area of which is diminished becauseof the angular position.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination comprisingmeans adapted for taking a picture and a plurality ofpartially-reflecting mirror means positioned at various angles in thepath of the light which is to give rise to the picture, and passing saidpath from opposite sides of said path, and having certain transparentportions, the effective area of which is diminished because of theangular position, said portions having the shape of relatively finelines.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination comprisingmeans adapted for taking a picture and a plurality ofpartially-reflecting mirror means positioned at various angles in thepath of the light which is to give rise to the picture, and havingcertain transparent portions, the effective area of which is diminishedbecause of the angular position, said angles being such that thereflected light is rectified.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination comprisingmeans adapted for taking a picture and two partially-reflecting mirrormeans positioned at right angles to each other and with said right anglebisected by avplane parallel to the path of the light which is to giveA,rise to the picture, said mirror means being positioned between thecamera and the subject of the picture.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination comprisingmeans adapted for taking a picture, rotatable means positioned inthepath of light from an object and arranged to reilect in a rectiedcondition a small portion of the light received and to transmit a largeportion of the light received, and reflecting means in front and to theside of said picture-taking means and adapted for certain positions ofsaid first-mentioned reflecting means to reflect to a poser the imagereceived by said picture-taking means through said firstfmentionedreecting means.

1l. In a device of the character described, the combination comprisingmeans adapted for tak? ing a picture, two partially-reflecting mirrormeans positioned at right angles to each other and with said right anglebisected by a plane parallel to the path of the light which is to giverise to the picture and revoluble about a predetermined point, andreflecting means in front of and to the side of said picture-takingmeans and adapted for certain positions of said first-mentionedreflecting means to reflect to a poser the light which may be formedinto an image similar to the image received by said picture-taking meansthrough one of said two mirror means.

12. In a device of the character described, the combination comprisingmeans adapted for taking a picture, two, plane, partially-reflectingmirror means positioned at right angles to each other and with saidright angle bisected by a plane parallel to the path of the light whichis to give rise to the picture, one of said mirror means extendingfarther from the apex of the dihedral angle than the other, andreflecting means in front of and to the side of said picture-takingmeans and adapted to reflect to a poser light which may be formed intosubstantially the same image as that received by said picture-takingmeans and arising from light which has passed through said two mirrormeans.

13. In a device of the character described, the combination comprisingmeans adapted for taking a picture, and positive-mirror means in the eldof view of said picture-taking means, and adapted for transmitting alarge portion of the light received to said picture-taking means, andhaving a predetermined amount of a reflecting metallic substanceassociated therewith, whereby the reflected light is but a small portionof the incident light.

14. In a device of the character described, the combination comprisingmeans adapted for taking a picture, and a plurality ofpartially-reflecting mirror means correlated to reect light in a ingmirror means positioned in, and at various.

angles with', the path of the light which is to give rise to the pictureand having certain transparent portions, the eiective area of whichlisdiminished because of the angular position, said angles being such thatat least a part of the light coming from .l

the object, the picture of which is to be taken, and reflected from oneof said mirror means, 1s reilected from another of said mirror means.

16. In a device of the character described, the

combination comprising means adapted for taking a picture, and aplurality of partially-reflecting mirror means positioned in, and atvarious angles with, the path of the light which is to give rise to thepicture and having certain trans-v parent portions, the elective area ofwhich is diminished because of the angular position, said angles beingsuch that the reflected light is reflected away from said-picturetakingmeans.

OTHO V. KEAN.

